Search Results (12,759)

The geological environment of southeastern Tibet is characterized by complex tectonics and high climatic sensitivity, and giant accumulation landslides pose significant threats to infrastructure and human safety. This study investigates the Pangcun giant accumulation landslide using SBAS-InSAR (2017–2024), UAV photogrammetry, field investigations, and wavelet coherence analysis to examine its deformation and driving mechanisms. The landslide exhibits continuous, slow deformation with clear spatial heterogeneity, divided into two zones, with the largest displacement occurring in the middle of Zone B. Field evidence is consistent with the InSAR results. Wavelet coherence analysis reveals a lagged response of displacement to precipitation at a timescale of about three months. The landslide’s evolution is controlled by unfavorable topography and fragmented materials, with precipitation as the primary trigger. Human activities (agricultural irrigation and slope-toe road excavation) and seismic disturbances also contribute to its progressive development. Full article

Renewable energy technologies are becoming more and more relevant in a variety of engineering fields as a result of the move toward low-carbon, sustainable energy systems. Although research has historically concentrated on power generation, it now covers a broad range of applications, including precision agriculture, smart grids, energy storage, healthcare devices, and sustainable buildings. However, existing review studies are often limited to single disciplines or specific technologies, lacking a unified cross-disciplinary perspective that captures the interconnected nature of modern renewable energy systems. This gap motivates the need for a comprehensive review that bridges multiple engineering domains. This review provides a comprehensive synthesis of literature on renewable energy applications in electrical and electronics, computer, environmental, biomedical, architectural, and agricultural engineering. In electrical and electronics engineering, the use of renewable energy sources is largely based on the efficient generation of electricity from natural resources such as solar, wind, and ocean energy. Computer engineering contributes through artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT) architectures, digital twins, and cybersecurity solutions, optimizing energy management. Environmental engineering emphasizes life cycle assessment, carbon footprint reduction, and circular economy strategies. In biomedical engineering, energy harvesting and self-powered devices illustrate micro-scale applications of renewable energy. Architectural engineering integrates renewable systems through building-integrated photovoltaics, net-zero energy designs, and smart building management, while agricultural engineering uses solar-powered irrigation, biomass utilization, agrivoltaic systems, and other sustainable practices. To support a low-carbon future with integrated and sustainable engineering solutions, this study not only highlights innovations within individual fields but also showcases how different disciplines can connect and work together. Overall, the review offers a novel cross-disciplinary framework that advances the understanding of renewable energy systems beyond isolated applications and provides direction for future integrative research. Full article

For the purpose of investigating the hydrochemical signatures and formation processes of mine water at the Feicheng Coal Mine, a total of 61 samples—including fresh mine water (FLW), old goaf water (OGW), and old lode water (OLW)—were collected and examined via statistical and hydrochemical approaches for the assessment of mine water suitability for irrigation employed sodium content (Na%), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), permeability index (PI), and magnesium hazard ratio (MHR). The mine water proves slightly alkaline, featuring Na⁺ as the leading cation and SO₄²⁻/HCO₃⁻ as the leading anions. By average concentration, cations decrease in the order Na⁺ > Ca²⁺ > Mg²⁺, and anions decrease as SO₄²⁻ > HCO₃⁻ > Cl⁻. The hydrochemical types of OLW and FLW samples were primarily Ca-HCO₃ and Ca-Mg-Cl, whereas the OGW samples were predominantly of the Na-Cl-SO₄ and Na-HCO₃ types. Rock weathering serves as the main control on water chemistry, with hydrochemical components sourced largely from evaporite and carbonate dissolution. The sodium present in the water is likely attributable to silicate mineral dissolution or cation exchange processes. Cation exchange, with forward exchange dominant, is also a key hydrogeochemical process in the study area. SI results reveal that calcite and dolomite have reached saturation, while gypsum and halite remain undersaturated and tend to dissolve further. Irrigation suitability assessments indicate that most of the water quality in the Feicheng Coal Mine is excellent or good. A limited number of samples exhibited relatively high salinity, and most of them can be directly irrigated. To this end, this study proposes targeted treatment solutions, thus facilitating mine water development and utilization. Full article

Optimizing nitrogen form under drip fertigation may improve wheat productivity by regulating the root-zone inorganic N environment during early vegetative growth. A two-year field experiment evaluated nitrate-dominant (N1), balanced ammonium–nitrate (N2), and ammonium-enriched nitrogen strategies (N3) during GS13–GS31, with conventional farmer practice (CK) and a zero-N control (N0) for comparison. Nitrogen-form regulation markedly altered the soil NH₄⁺-N ratios, especially in the 0–20 cm soil layer, with N3 highest, N1 lowest, and N2 intermediate. Compared with the nitrate- or ammonium-dominant strategy, the balanced treatment N2 improved spike formation rate and maintained relatively higher N accumulation at GS31 and GS65, and showed greater N translocation and contribution of translocated N to grain N than N1. Correlation analyses indicated that spike formation rate was closely related to spike number (R² = 0.764) and N accumulation at GS31 was positively related to Ntrans (R² = 0.588). N2 showed the most favorable overall performance, with the highest numerical values for grain yield, nitrogen recovery efficiency, irrigation water use efficiency, and net profit among the fertigation treatments. However, the advantages of N2 over N3 in grain yield and SPAD-AUC were modest and not consistently significant. These results indicate that balancing ammonium and nitrate supply during GS13–GS31 under drip fertigation can improve root-zone N conditions and support better overall agronomic performance in winter wheat under the alkaline soil conditions of the North China Plain. Full article

Microplastics (MPs) pose a significant threat to soil ecosystems based on their small size and resistance to biodegradation. Soil organic carbon (SOC) in saline–alkaline ecosystems has significantly affected maintain the ecological balance. This paper aims to review the mechanisms underlying the influence of MPs on SOC in saline–alkaline soils combining bibliometric mapping (VOSviewer). The results revealed that: (1) MPs mainly enter the saline–alkaline soil through water irrigation, sewage sludge, and agricultural films. (2) The interaction between the salt ions in saline–alkaline soils and the negatively charged surface of MPs will intensify the dispersion of soil aggregates, resulting in a significant decline in soil structure stability and nutrient imbalance. (3) MPs and the high-salt environment of saline–alkaline soils form a synergistic stress, significantly reducing the activities of key enzymes such as catalase and dehydrogenase in the soil, and it selectively promotes the enrichment of salt-tolerant bacterial communities (such as Halomonas and Bacillus species). (4) Using biodegradable plastic materials, setting up ecological buffer zones and planting halophytic plants (in coastal saline–alkaline areas), adding windbreak and sand-fixing buffer zones (in inland desert-type saline–alkaline areas), promoting precise irrigation and fertilization technologies (in areas with uneven irrigation conditions), and emergency soil amendment treatment (for severely polluted and ecologically fragile saline–alkaline soils) were all effective measures to dealing with the MPs pollution in saline–alkaline soils. This review provides a theoretical basis for the prevention and control of MPs pollution and the sustainable use of saline–alkaline soils. Full article

Water scarcity and pollution from anthropogenic activities are major challenges, increasing the need for sustainable wastewater treatment solutions. Constructed wetlands mimic natural wetland ecosystems using macrophytes and substrates, representing a possible nature-based solution aligned with circular economy principles and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. So, this revision integrates recent literature, providing an overview of natural wetlands and examining the design and operation of constructed wetland systems. Also, incorporates a case study that focuses on a constructed wetland implemented at an eco-friendly dog shelter in Portugal—a unique example globally—demonstrating practical wastewater treatment and small-scale water reuse, and offering insights for sustainable management. Performance assessment based on previous work indicates that the system effectively reduces most water quality parameters to levels compliant with national and European irrigation standards. Removal efficiencies exceeded 97% for chemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids, and turbidity, while maintaining low energy consumption and minimal maintenance. Overall, constructed wetlands emerge as a sustainable alternative to conventional wastewater treatment systems; however, several challenges remain to be addressed. Future research should focus on improved aeration strategies, optimized substrate–macrophyte combinations, and long-term monitoring under climate variability, with floating wetlands offering promising opportunities to further enhance treatment efficiency. Full article

In semi-arid regions, sustainable groundwater management for irrigation is critical for agricultural productivity and food security. This study presents an integrated methodological framework combining hydrochemical characterization, machine learning (ML) modeling, and explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) to predict the Irrigation Water Quality Index (IWQI) in the Ain Oussera plain, Djelfa Province, Algeria. A total of 191 groundwater samples were collected from November 2023 to September 2024 and analyzed for major ions and physicochemical parameters. Multiple irrigation suitability indices were calculated, including Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR), Sodium Percentage (Na%), Magnesium Hazard (MH), Permeability Index (PI), Residual Sodium Carbonate (RSC), Soluble Sodium Percentage (SSP), and Kelly’s Ratio (KR). Five ML models were developed and evaluated for IWQI prediction: Random Forest, Gradient Boosting, XGBoost, K-Nearest Neighbors, and Support Vector Regression. Results showed that 55% of groundwater samples exhibited low to no restrictions for irrigation use, while 19% required high to severe restrictions. The XGBoost model demonstrated superior performance, with the highest R² (0.95) and the lowest RMSE (3.22) among all tested algorithms. SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanations) analysis provided a transparent interpretation of model predictions, identifying electrical conductivity and Sodium Adsorption Ratio as the most influential parameters affecting IWQI, while chloride, sodium, total hardness, and magnesium had minimal impact. Spatial mapping using Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) interpolation in ArcGIS 10.8 revealed considerable spatial variability in water quality throughout s the plain. This research addresses a critical gap in North African groundwater management by integrating ML predictive capabilities with XAI transparency, providing water resource managers and agricultural stakeholders with interpretable, data-driven tools for sustainable irrigation planning in water-stressed semi-arid environments. Full article

Almond (Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D.A. Webb) is one of the most economically important nut crops worldwide, valued for its nutritional properties and adaptability to diverse agroecological environments. This review summarizes current knowledge on almond domestication, genetic diversity, production trends, and improvement strategies, with a focus on drought tolerance under climate change. Archaeobotanical and molecular evidence indicate central Asia and the eastern Mediterranean as key centers of origin, where recurrent introgression from wild Prunus species contributed to the high genetic variability of cultivated almond. Global production trends reveal increasing challenges due to prolonged drought, climate variability, and rising water and energy costs, particularly affecting major producers such as the United States. Mediterranean regions are transitioning from traditional low-density orchards to intensive systems, where cultivar and rootstock choice are crucial for sustainability. Self-fertile and late-blooming cultivars improve yield stability, while interspecific hybrid rootstocks enhance water use efficiency and tolerance to drought and poor soils. Drought stress impacts almond physiology and yield, although moderate deficit irrigation can maintain productivity and improve kernel quality. Future improvement relies on germplasm conservation, marker-assisted selection, and genomic tools to develop climate-resilient cultivars integrated with sustainable water management strategies. Full article

Wheat productivity and grain quality are strongly influenced by nutrient management and soil moisture availability. Nitrogen (N) and potassium (K) regulate biomass production, physiological stability and grain protein development. However, their efficiency varies under water-limited conditions. This study aimed to evaluate how soil moisture modulates nitrogen–potassium efficiency, nutrient partitioning, physiological responses and grain quality development in wheat. The current experiment was planned to assess the impact of varying but combined levels of N and K fertilizers on wheat crop growth and yield components as well as nutrient uptake and grain quality under different irrigation levels (i.e., normal irrigation Field Capacity (FC) 100%, partial water deficit FC75%, moderate water deficit FC50%, severe water deficit FC25%). The results of the study showed that increasing N-K supply enhanced biomass, chlorophyll contents, nutrient accumulation and grain quality under full irrigation, with N2K2 showing the highest growth, yield and quality traits. Under moderate deficit, N2K1 maintained a relatively stable yield and physiological performance, whereas severe moisture limitation markedly reduced nutrient uptake, grain development and fertilizer efficiency despite a higher NK application. Progressive reductions in irrigation also altered nutrient distribution among leaves, straw and grain, indicating moisture-regulated remobilization during grain filling. Maximum increments in values for plant height (27%), total biomass (108%), grain yield (183%), grain NPK content (38%, 6.3%, 26%), grain protein (38%) and wet gluten (38%) were noted in the N2K2 treatment at FC100%, but these parameters showed up to 80% reduction under the same treatment of N-K at FC25%. It is concluded that wheat response to N–K fertilization was moisture dependent and fertilizer rate alone did not ensure productivity under severe water deficit. Therefore, integrating nutrient supply with irrigation management is essential to sustain productivity and grain quality. Full article

A large proportion of global peanut cultivation occurs in arid and semiarid environments, where water scarcity poses a major limitation to productivity. Climate change further intensifies this challenge by causing irregular rainfall patterns. This study aimed to investigate the physiological and yield responses of peanut genotypes under well-watered and water-stressed conditions. Seven genotypes, five drought-tolerant (C76-16, Line-8, PI 502120, AU-NPL-17 and AU16-28) and two drought-sensitive (Valencia-C and AP-3) were evaluated under two irrigation regimes across consecutive years (2024 and 2025). Seven yield-associated traits (number of pods per plant, pod length, pod width, pod yield per plant, seed weight, hundred-seed weight and pod yield per plot) along with three physiological traits (stomatal conductance, photosynthetic efficiency and leaf temperature) were measured at three growth stages. Drought stress caused a significant reduction in almost all traits, including pod yield per plot (42–44%) and hundred-seed weight (24–38%). Stomatal conductance showed the greatest reduction at all stages, especially during flowering (31–80%) and pod filling (45–74%) stages. Correlation analysis revealed that yield-related traits were negatively correlated with stomatal conductance at pod-filling under water-stress conditions. Genotypes such as PI 502120, AU-NPL-17 and C76-16 maintained higher yields with less reduction under water-stressed conditions. This study also confirmed that Line-8 employs a water-saver strategy, whereas PI 502120 uses a water-spender mechanism to cope with water stress. Additionally, findings showed that the flowering and pod-filling stages are more severely affected physiologically by drought stress, which likely contributed to the observed yield reduction. Full article

Soybean (Glycine max L.) is an important agricultural crop for human food and animal feed. Soybean yield is severely constrained by abiotic stresses such as salinity and drought, which affect large proportions of arable and irrigated lands worldwide. This necessitates the development of new soybean varieties tolerant to these stress factors. Mutation breeding is an effective approach to improve the stress tolerance of plants due to increased genetic diversity. In this study, two gamma-induced salinity and drought-tolerant soybean mutants (SM1 and SM3-1) were compared with the parental line S04-05 using GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses. GO enrichment analyses revealed extensive differential gene expression in the mutant lines under stress conditions, with significant enrichment of pathways related to photosynthesis, hormone signaling, carbohydrate metabolism, and flavonoid and isoflavonoid biosynthesis. Genotype-specific analyses indicated that the SM3-1 mutant exhibited a dynamic regulatory response associated with maintaining the photosynthetic apparatus and chloroplast homeostasis under stress, whereas the SM1 mutant showed an adaptation strategy based on metabolite-mediated osmotic adjustment and ROS scavenging. Compared to the parental variety S04-05, the mutants showed distinct metabolic regulation in phenylpropanoid/isoflavone metabolism, with upregulation of many isoflavone biosynthesis genes under salinity, drought, and untreated conditions, indicating a key and sustained role of this pathway in stress tolerance. Most SNPs identified in the isoflavone biosynthesis pathway consist of moderate-impact and modifier variations. These findings suggest that gamma mutagenesis and subsequent selection processes allow for the development of novel genetic variants that operate through different physiological and metabolic mechanisms but exhibit similar levels of tolerance. In this respect, the study reveals that mutation breeding is a potentially sustainable and effective breeding strategy for increasing abiotic stress tolerance in soybeans. Full article

Waterlogging and secondary salinization are major drivers of land degradation in irrigated dryland regions, undermining soil productivity and long-term sustainability. Pakistan’s Indus Basin Irrigation System (IBIS), one of the world’s largest irrigation networks, supports national food security over approximately 16.7 million hectares (Mha). However, large-scale canal irrigation, combined with flat topography, monsoonal recharge, and inefficient water management, has disrupted groundwater balance, leading to persistent shallow water tables and widespread land degradation. Currently, nearly one-third of the irrigated area is affected by groundwater depths of less than 3 m. This review synthesizes six decades of waterlogging development and management in the IBIS, analyzing the evolution of drainage infrastructure, salinity control strategies, groundwater exploitation, and institutional reforms within a land sustainability perspective. Although large-scale interventions—including 61 Salinity Control and Reclamation Projects (SCARPs) and major outfall systems—initially reclaimed substantial areas, long-term performance has been constrained by governance fragmentation, inadequate operation and maintenance, and environmentally problematic effluent disposal. The Indus Basin experience underscores the need to move beyond infrastructure-centered solutions towards more integrated land–water governance and adaptive management to enhance land system resilience in irrigated regions facing growing climatic and resource pressures. Full article

The development of effective water disinfection treatment processes will be crucial to help food producers save water and cope with the inevitable challenges resulting from increases in human population and climate change, while promoting sustainable agriculture. The inactivation efficiency of UV-C light emitting diodes (LEDs) that emit light at 280 nm was tested as a disinfection method. Water samples from a horticulture industry were collected and characterized in terms of total microorganisms, total coliforms, Escherichia coli and enterococci as well as parameters that influence photolysis such as the percent transmittance of the irrigation water (that, due to the nutrients added for plant growth, was extremely low and varied between 40 and 55%). Nevertheless, laboratory scale results showed that three single small UV LEDs that emit light at 280 nm were extremely efficient for the inactivation of microorganisms present at occurrence levels in the irrigation water samples, as well as Phytophthora capsici and Escherichia coli spiked in sterile distilled water and filtered irrigation water samples. Overall, the findings demonstrate that UV-C LEDs operating at 280 nm represent a promising sustainable disinfection strategy for modern food production systems facing tightening environmental and public-health pressures. Full article

Although treated wastewater (TWW) is increasingly being used to irrigate urban landscapes in arid regions like Qatar to preserve scarce freshwater resources, little is known about its long-term ecological impacts. The effects of extended irrigation with TWW on the composition of weed communities and soil characteristics in urban turfgrass systems were assessed in this study for a full year period. Three turfgrass fields in public parks in Doha that are not distant and similar in turf species and type of management were chosen. One of them has received regular tap water, and the other two had received a period of two years or a period of seven years irrigation with TWW. Due to nutrient availability in TWW, long-term irrigation improved turfgrass performance but drastically changed the structure and composition of the weed communities. More weed diversity and abundance were observed under irrigation with TWW, coinciding with cumulative increases in soil salinity [from 265 µS/cm for soil irrigated with regular tap water to about 1799 µS/cm for soil long-term irrigated with treated wastewater] and nutrient levels. Dactyloctenium aristatum and Euphorbia prostrata were dominating the field under TWW irrigation, while Cyperus rotundus prevailed better under regular tap-water irrigation. Crucially, build-up of toxic elements was found in the turfgrass, but not harmful. Overall, the findings showed that although TWW is a useful source for maintaining urban green spaces in arid regions, its long-term use necessitates cautious management to reduce weed growth and adaptation. Maintaining sustainable and healthy urban landscapes may be aided by using salt-leaching irrigation techniques and seasonal blending with freshwater. Full article

In the context of climate change, the hydrological processes and water resource system vulnerabilities in inland river basins of arid regions are intensifying. Understanding their evolutionary patterns and driving mechanisms is crucial for sustainable water resource management, agricultural development, and the protection of ecological security. This study focuses on the Kaidu River Basin, systematically analyzing the temporal and spatial variations in hydrological cycle elements in the basin from 1998 to 2023 based on multi-source precipitation data, the SWAT hydrological model, and the glacier degree-day model. The study also identifies the main driving factors using a geographic detector. The results show that the SWAT model performs well (calibration period R² and NSE ≥ 0.75, validation period R² and NSE of 0.75 and 0.70, respectively), indicating reliable simulation results. The surface water resources and the contribution of glacier meltwater to runoff in the basin both show a fluctuating downward trend, while potential evapotranspiration increases. The contribution of glacier meltwater during the ablation season decreased from 69.86% in 2014–2016 to 45.01% in 2017–2021. The hydrological processes exhibit a spatial pattern of “mountain areas generating runoff, non-mountain areas consuming water”. The geographic detector results indicate that precipitation is the decisive factor for the spatial differentiation of hydrological processes (influence degree q = 56.9%), with temperature, potential evapotranspiration, and altitude playing important synergistic roles. Moreover, the explanatory power of multi-factor interactions is much greater than that of individual factors. The findings of this study provide a scientific basis for the optimized allocation of watershed water resources, efficient agricultural irrigation, and the sustainable development of oasis ecosystems under changing environmental conditions, thereby supporting the goals of water security and sustainable development in inland river basins of arid regions. Full article